Addiction to Drugs.org

Drug Addiction Recovery Resources

Causes Of Drug Addiction

The causes of drug addiction are as varied as the
amount of drugs that are available for use. There is no one cause for
drug addiction just like there is no consistent profile of a drug user.

People who have a history of drug use or abuse in
their families are certainly at greater risk for drug addiction
problems. It has been shown repeatedly that children of alcoholics and
drug-addicted persons are far more likely to exhibit addictive
tendencies than children of non-addicted parents.

This is generally attributed largely to
environmental factors and vicarious learning. The children of
alcoholics or drug users see their parents escaping from problems using
drugs. When they strike problems themselves they are naturally more
likely than their peers to reach for the same crutch. This is not to
say though that genetic factors are irrelevant. Certainly babies of
addicted mothers can be born with a craving for alcohol or narcotics,
and many believe that the 'addictive personality' is something that is
imprinted in the genes of the addict.

Sometimes though there is no sad background story
behind addiction. Often with an addiction to prescription drugs, the
addicted person started out taking the prescription drugs because they
were overcoming some type of legitimate ailment. Over time though they
began to feel that they couldn't do without their medicine, and that if
they stopped taking their pills, the pain would return.

People who have low self-esteem are certainly more
prone to drug addiction. Such persons may feel they have no control
over their lives and will turn to drugs as a way to cope. They often
feel they can't please the people around them so they have to change
themselves in order to fit in. The change is made easier by using drugs
because the drugs transform them into someone and something that they
are not.

Stress is often sited as the number one cause of
drug addiction. Life is stressful for everybody. Some of us though are
better able to cope with this than others. Drug turn to drugs as an
easy way to forget their stresses. Once a person starts using drugs to
overcome stress it can be hard to break the cycle because the stresses
are still there once the high is gone, so the user feels he or she
needs more drugs to bring further relief. That type of cycle leads to
long-term addiction.

Part of the reason for the prevalence of drug
addiction is simply that they are so easily accessible. Even for those
who don't have contact with their local dealers of illicit substances,
alcohohl and prescription drugs are easy to obtain and can prove just
as effective (and damaging).

So why do people use drugs? The simple answer is
people use drugs in order to control their moods, but as to why some
people need so badly to control their moods while others manage to cope
without drugs, there is no simple answer.